The Project
by GlyphGoddess
Summary: Kaiba's in college... new rules apply! enter the mary-sue. Fate (or is it that wacky professor?) throws them togther, but now the question is which way will the chemistry work?


_first fanfic ever, please, constructive critism only_

_much as i wish, seto kaiba does not belong to me, any other parallels or references that do not belong to me, but are in here, are purely accidental

* * *

_

::When you have fame, fortune, family and fangirls you can walk on, what more do you need? Nothing.:: Seto Kaiba smirked, his trademark expression, and continued typing up his business proposal, not even remotely abashed that he was in a psychology class, at Gloria Ashford University.

Professor Nievos paused, waiting for the scratching of pencils to stop so that she could continue the lecture. She heard the soft tapping of a keyboard, and knew Kaiba was still not impressed with the course material. -: _So even though this is Gloria Ashford University for the frighteningly intelligent, Mr. Kaiba doesn't feel the need to pay any attention whatsoever. The Dean must be having a ball, forcing our Japanese CEO to take a pre-req when he's qualified for a class with the juniors, at least. Of course...Lily is that way too, she just isn't so obnoxious about it.:- _Sighing, the professor continued, so thankful it was Friday.

"...And that, flock of mine, is that. It's Friday afternoon, you're sick of psychology, I'm sick of you, get out of my sight, you're being released early. Have a good weekend all of you. Shoo, before I assign you homework." Nievos moved away from the door, out of harm's way. In the five seconds in which she had moved toward her desk, the hall was echoingly empty. Save for two students, one putting away a laptop, and one putting away what looked suspiciously like a sketchbook.

"Lily...Kaiba, you're still here... twenty seconds after I let the class out early. Do you have no lives whatsoever? Nothing or no one to go to? Guess not..."

"Really Professor," her niece looked back at her rather imploringly. "You're an excellent teacher, I know, but this material...it's..."

"Boring, redundant, covered in high school." Kaiba's voice finished for her.

"Not exactly what I was going to say, but yeah, it is, so forgive me if it isn't exactly an inspiring motivation to pay attention." Lily tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, hoping her aunt wasn't going to take offense.

"I understand, you're both too far ahead to be taking the pre-req course, but neither of you had a choice, ne?"

Kaiba growled something in Japanese.

"I heard that Mr. Kaiba, and if I must, I will be the first, but certainly not the last, to inform you that this system is perfectly good, and it is geniuses like you and Lily that throw a wrench in the schools' excellent system, and not the other way around."

"Hpmh." Kaiba was still not impressed.

Nievos was somewhat amused. -:_That'd be a real project...getting inside the mind of Seto Kaiba...ooh, I wonder...:-_ An idea was forming in the professor's head.

"Ms. Gensou, what did you say your reason was for wanting to major in Psychology?" Nievos knew full well what her niece wanted, but this was still school, family was for home.

"I...I want to study people and help them live better lives, naïve as it sounds, I'd be happy if that were all my life's work." Lily turned somewhat pink, and started to fuss with her indigo-black hair to hide it.

"And you, Mr. Kaiba?"

"I want to get inside people's heads, so that I can improve or modify my products accordingly. I want to--"

"Subtly manipulate them, and get paid for it. Oops, sorry Professor."

Nievos glared at her not at all abashed niece. "I have a little project for you two. You will do case studies of each other, like a professional psychologist/psychoanalyst would do. If you do these well enough, I will take up both your cases to the board, and _make_ them let you into those classes. Whenever you are done, is when I talk to the board. I will be available for questions, now get out of my way, it's Friday I'm going to the spa."

"So um...Kaiba, I work at this quaint little café, it's only a block away, if you like we could go there and talk a bit..."

Kaiba looked at her, nodded curtly, and started walking out the door. A muffled squeak and curse informed him that he had closed the door on her. _:: Ditz.:: _he thought to himself.

_.:Jerk; arrogant, obnoxious jerk!_ She glared at the back of his head, simmering. _I should get Brian to spit in his coffee. Evil, smirk-happy...:._

He growled something at her in Japanese. She flinched. .:_Crap...of all people...:._

"I'm sorry Mr. Kaiba. I don't speak any Japanese whatsoever. My father was an immigrant, and didn't think I needed to learn..." she took off her glasses and began polishing them furiously to hide her face.

"I see." He was comfortable with English, but he disliked being at a disadvantage, no matter how slight. Of course his English was pretty much perfect, better than a lot of people he'd seen here, but still, it was his second language.

They continued walking in silence.

"Lynn's Café?" a low rumble brought her back to reality.

"Yeah, that's the one, I work the evening shift, and occasionally bring my laptop and work, it's a great atmosphere."

They went in and left their coats and satchels at a table and... Kaiba's cell rang... obnoxiously.

He flipped it open and growled, "Kaiba..."

_.:Cue the rapid fire Japanese...:._Lily thought to herself.

She really didn't expect him to grab his things and dash out of the door. _.:Perhaps something's come up,:._ she thought, stating the somewhat really obvious. She sat down, to wait for her order. As she swung her foot listlessly, she nudged something. _.:Huh? That's not my PDA...as we can see given exhibit A, the corner, where is engraved the KC logo. No, this is not my PDA. Looks like I'll have to drop by Mr. Kaiba's apartment...:._

_.:It's Friday evening. Kaiba couldn't be out socializing, all the parties around would have had to be big-wig, corporate affairs, that were guaranteed money to KC for him to even think about it, maybe not even then. Somehow I doubt also that Kaiba is at a beatnik café reciting angsty poetry, dressed all in black (hot as that would be) or that he's shooting pool in a rumpled version of his suit (hot as that would also be). Conclusion: he must be at his apartment, glaring at the wall, thinking it could stand to be more wall-like. I bet the wall is in flames from the pure fury of his gaze.:. _

She arrived at the address listed for Kaiba, Seto. _.:Did I say apartment? Apartment complex is more like what he lives in...:._ she knocked on the door. It opened, and ... _if Jeeves were an actual person...I think we have a winner.:._ The automaton asked for her name, business and coat. She gave him all three. He instructed her to sit and make herself at home. As those two actions were unrelated in the entity that was Lily Gensou, she decided to go with the latter. She started to wander around. She heard muffled speaking from behind one of the doors. She tapped lightly. A gruff "come in, set it down, leave" answered her tap. _.:So...what IS behind door number one? Looks like we find out now... a fabulous new car, or a goat?:._ She opened the door and slid in.

Two hours ago, Seto Kaiba received a phone call from Japan, informing him that his brother had not come home. It being around 2 in the morning over there, Kaiba was understandably concerned. He ran out on the girl, and dashed back to his apartment, and made phone calls to all the possible places his Mokuba could be, or he would have, but he misplaced his PDA somewhere. Instead, he was on the phone, talking with someone who was making phone calls to all the possible places Mokuba could be.

Two minutes ago, they found him. Mokuba had gone to a friend's house, and had called home. It's just that he called Seto's office...which was unoccupied. Kaiba was chastising his brother for not thinking, when there was a knock at the door. He thought it was the butler, who had taken it upon himself to actually make sure Kaiba ate and slept. He knew he had missed lunch, and figured Ronald had come to bring it to him. The door opened, and it was not Ronald with his lunch...it was the girl, Gensou. She stood there, nodded at him, like it was the most natural thing in the world for her to waltz into a private office like it was the most natural thing in the world. _::For her, I doubt anything is unnatural, or respected.::_ He growled to himself.

_.:Well... here I am, flared sleeves to embroidered skirt, and wonder of wonders, he's on the phone... I think I'm in shock, and I lost that bet with myself. Oh wait, wait, is that a char mark on the wall? :. _She looked about the office, it was rather Spartan and..._ .:well, well, well, what have we here? I... do not ...believe my eyes...:._ said eyes widened, catching one of the last sunbeams, and turning her eyes to liquid sapphires.

Kaiba caught the sparkle, distracted by the purity of the color, and then he realized what the girl was looking at, and swore to himself, very profusely and very creatively. A few seconds later, he realized that Mokuba had taken his silence as dismissal, and fled. He got up and closed the door to his bedroom, which he had left all the way opened for a reason he didn't know or remember.

"Gensou, what are you doing here?" he snapped.

She was unfazed; he had to give her that. "You dropped this in the coffee shop, I came to give it back...I thought you might need it." She had pulled out a PDA case of purple with her name and signature flower embroidered on it. She placed his in front of him, and slid her own PDA back into its case. "I also wanted to ask when you wanted to start—"

"Alright, how much money do you want to not put that into your paper?" he demanded, emotionlessly, inwardly snarling at her.

"You really think I'm that mercenary? I'm all hurt and offended now. No, no, Kaiba, I won't take any money from you, but..."

"But...what?"

"Well... as opposed to money, you can give me something else. Help me with my science class, I could really use it."

"That's all?"

"I'm sure I'll think of a few more things along the way. But for now, yes, that's all...I'm...really bad at basic science, I hate it. In fact, you could show me right now how to use that program we're supposed to put onto our computers..."

Three hours showed them working at it still. She was perched on the arm of his chair, as she decided the chairs he had set out for visitors were not worth the wood. He was surprised that for all she was a brilliant mathematician, she seemed to have an extreme aversion to basic science, physics in particular, math soaked as it was. She was quick, but for some reason, she despised the sciences, and was only taking them because she had to.

"Why, Gensou? You're amazing at it, once you decide to actually try to understand it."

"Now, now, that'd be telling. I'm a good girl." She posed innocently, veracity dripping from her voice, posture but not all the way to her eyes.

"Yeah, and I have a cat named Mr. Fluffy." The sarcasm was diamond hard.

"Oh do you? I love cats, so sleek and elegant, and innocently sadistic." She laughed, the throaty resonance rippled through the room. She leant forward, lips almost touching his ear, "You know...I wouldn't be surprised if you _did_ have a kitty, Seto Kaiba. I wouldn't be surprised at all."

"And what is _that_ supposed to mean, Gensou?"

"What do _you_ think it means, Kaiba? That I think you kidnapped some little girl's pet, out of sheer maliciousness and cruelty? Or that I think you have a soft, fuzzy side that I would like to be on?"

"Alright, how much do you really want to keep quiet?"

"Really, I don't know what you are so hyped about. That even the Great Seto Kaiba can get homesick restores my faith in the world. Though the um... plushies make me question my sanity. But really, I would be very surprised if you didn't have a picture or something of your brother...I just wasn't expecting a small shrine, with a portrait of the two of you in oils, and various dragon stuffed animals...to be covering your mantle and the majority of the wall..."

"Shut it, Gensou. Answer me."

"I'm being completely honest Kaiba, I don't want money. I rather enjoy having a bit of power over you." She snickered; she ran a finger down his jaw, basking in the daggers he glared at her. "Yes. I think I will come enjoy this quite a lot."

He growled and leaned back into his chair suddenly, causing her to lose her balance. She squeaked and fell. However, she fell into the chair...and into him.

"That was a horrible trick." She protested softly in his ear. "Hope you're happy now. Because I'm rather stuck." She pouted at him, enjoying herself to the hilt. At least, she was, till he picked her up, stood, and dumped her unceremoniously on the floor.

"Hey! That wasn't very gentlemanly of you! You shouldn't pick on a girl with glasses."

"Who ever said I was a gentleman?"

"...You um... you looked the part..." She was sitting on the floor, looking up at the 6'3" man. _.:Really not a good position to be in, Lily. Really not. 'cept this is Kaiba...you can let him feel superior till you take him down a peg or ten:.._ Insert soft mental chuckle.

"Really Gensou..."

"Stop calling me Gensou, I'm not one of your employees, I'm a college student here, same as you."

"But Gensou suits you so well." He extended a hand to her.

"And why is that?" She took it warily.

"Because," he barely pulled and she was standing, somewhat impressed by his strength, "Gensou...or at least, the one I'm thinking of, means "illusion". I think all the little personas you've shown me are wisps of smoke."

"How do you know that all those swirls aren't pieces of one complex puzzle that a cold, aloof, distant inhuman like yourself could never hope to fit together? Not if your life, your project and your major depended on it."

"Why don't you let me try, so that when I do figure you out, I can dismantle you, piece by wispy piece."

"Go ahead, Kaiba," she spat the name out, meeting his glare with one of her own, "I'd like to see a stuck up jerk like you get under my skin or in my head." Her lip curled in contempt.

"Under your skin? I'd sooner become a theater major than grace your bedcovers Gensou, now get out, I have work to do."

She was staring at him, but without a word picked up her bag, and turned to leave. "By the way Kaiba, "under one's skin" would mean letting someone get to you, unnerve or upset you. I don't know why your mind led you to _that_ conclusion, but I have to be one of the only women on campus who would rather stab myself in the eye with a coloring pencil than ever let you near my dorm, much less near my bed. Have a nice day, Mr. Kaiba."

_::Well...damn::_ he thought to himself, _::stupid Americans and their slang. So the mockery failed, and now that little vapid birdbrain thinks I want to get into her bed covers. Although...no! Unacceptable thoughts, you have fame, fortune, family and fangirls, you do not need the one in ten eligible girls who dislike you. You only have to see this one... once a day?! More when she needs help with class. Bloody...::_

_.:This'll be interesting.:._ Kaiba wasn't the only one with only his thoughts for company._ .: His Highness, King of most of the Corporate World, and he has to help me with general physics. It is to laugh. Can't believe he picked me up, I can believe he'd drop me on the floor, though... arrogant jerk. At least I was in a long skirt. I wonder if Shinrai is hungry... I'll have to stop by the store just in case...I'm not sure there's been a whole lot of bugs for her to catch, she's been keeping them at bay...it's a Friday night, and I'm thinking about my cobra lily...I need a boyfriend. Life is...too much and too little right now.:._

Three weeks and four days later

_::I'm sick of having to do her homework and explain her notes, and to top it off, she's been so distracted lately.:: _Kaiba was growling to himself, he wasn't upset the girl wasn't here; really he wasn't, she was the cause of his misery. ::_She gets it, but she's not trying as hard. At least she thanks me every time we end, and for some reason, she really, really means it. Girls are so...irritating. I'm wondering if all this is worth having her not write, talk or hint at my um...display case. She was...amused...gah. She's late, the stupid little ditz, and there are no messages, either from her house or a public phone, so she's coming today, isn't she? Ah. There's the bell, and that would be her walking down the hallway...shuffling more like, wonder what's...::_

"God, I'm so sorry Kaiba, I've just had so much to..."

He stood, and came over to her, glaring the whole while, "Keep it, Gensou, I'm only doing this for you because I have to, so if you don't have the decency to at least show up on time, then-"

"Look Kaiba," she dared to interrupt, "I told you, I'm sorry, and I am, but I haven't got control over anything right now-"

He shoved her into the wall, "But you do, Gensou, you have some over me. Does it make you happy? Knowing that you could humiliate the CEO of one of the most powerful companies in the world, with one little case study? Does it??"

All this time, she'd been staring at the floor, but now she looked up at him, and there were tears in her eyes, threatening to spill over and bejewel her glasses with the salty orbs.

He didn't step back, but he did loosen his grip on her shoulders, but only a little. He had a feeling that soon it would be his grip on her alone that would keep her standing. He gently forced her chin up, so that she had to look into his eyes and tell him the truth.

"Alright Kaiba, I should have known. You always win." Finally, one tear, then another, broke free, and slid down her cheek, welled up where his hand met her face, then spilled over, and was lost to her silk blouse. "Much as you would disbelieve me, I don't want you to hate me. I meant it when I said I was sorry, and I meant it for everything I could have possibly done to you. If you want, I'll disappear from your life, and go back to being that girl with the odd taste in clothes, sketching in the back row. I'm not even sure if I can go back to that now... there are so many..." here she broke down, and would have slid to the floor, but for Kaiba, as he predicted, correctly of course. Part of him was noting everything, part of him was completely at a loss, and one very, very tiny part of him was enjoying being the only thing that kept this usually far too chipper girl up.

"I...I have to go...please let me go..."

"Not a chance, Gen-Lily. This is about more than the project, this is about you, and you are not going anywhere till you tell me just what the fuck is going on with you, woman."

Lily was going through a very quiet form of hysterics. One side was devastated that Kaiba was going to make her tell him, one side was furious that Kaiba was going to make her tell him, and one side was noting that Kaiba's wall was very wall-y, and uncomfortably so. She shifted slightly, not wanting to show any more weakness, but no such luck. He felt her moving beneath his fingers, and without so much as a by your leave, scooped her up, and deposited her in his chair. Then he stood behind and began to massage her shoulders. It wasn't soft, or gentle, or tender, but it was thorough, and it relaxed her. She was glad not to have to look at him, into those piercing blue eyes that flashed daggers at her. She began to speak, in low, emotionless, but clear.

A week ago, there had been an accident, and her parents were, well... in no position to be paying for her apartment, and her tuition, not when there was also Violet, who was in elementary school. She'd told them it was fine, she'd get another job. And she had. _::That would be why she's been so distracted lately.::_

And he'd been kinda huffy lately, so she hadn't wanted to impose on him too. So she'd been trying to do it on her own, but she couldn't, which upset her even more. _::What's the proverb? Something like, those with the ability take failure the hardest.::_

Then she was fired from her second job, because she hadn't appeared for several days in a row, what with her schoolwork and trying to keep on top of everything. She had to move into one of the dorms, and had been running around trying to find someone to move in with in time, her apartment was in boxes. And now, she wouldn't even have physics tutoring any more...life is just...

"Move in with me," he said, suddenly, "if we're going to do proper case studies of each other, it would require more time being in each others presence than the twice weekly physics meetings...and you'd have a place to stay and I'm sure..." G_reat::, _he grumbled to himself, ::_I'm at a loss for words, a real knight in shining armor.::_ She had turned around, and was staring at him. "If...you don't want to, then the monetary offer still stands and you could..." ::_why is she staring at me like that? I don't sound too much the fool, do I?:: _

"Actually Kaiba, I accept your offer, when can I start moving in my boxes?"

_::And just what have I signed away my soul to?:: _"How much of that case study do you need to do, Gensou?"

_.:Back to last name basis, eh Kaiba? We'll see...:. _"I've pretty much done everything I could; going off of six hours a week. My boxes?"

_::Changing the subject Gensou.:: _"I'll send Ronald to get them later."

"Um...they kinda need to be out of there by noon tomorrow..."

"I'll send Ronald, now come, and sit with me."

_.:Can't believe I am going to move in with the Seto Kaiba. I'd better change my name, and pack a bag in case a mob comes to lynch me.:. _

* * *

_so, the experiment is all set up, slight twist i be Nievos wasn't expecting, but hey, i love drama_


End file.
